The Beast Within Me: A Curse Awakened

A heavy silence filled the room.

Judy stopped dressing the wound, lifted her eyes to him slowly, then sat on the edge of the bed. Her gaze was weighed with understanding… and caution.

Judy (softly):

Yousef… tell me, what exactly happened?

Yousef closed his eyes, as if the memory burned from within.

His uninjured hand clenched the sheet tightly. His breath quickened, though he tried to keep his voice steady.

Yousef:

I was angry… I couldn't control it anymore. Sarah was there… she was afraid of me.

Then… Adam… her child… he shot me.

Noah walked over slowly, sitting on the floor at the foot of the bed. His voice was quiet, but direct:

Noah:

Were you going to hurt them?

Yousef looked at him for a long moment.

The tears didn't fall, but they shimmered in his eyes.

He slowly shook his head.

Yousef (hoarsely):

No. I couldn't even imagine it. I just wanted to scream… to run… but my body wouldn't obey.

Judy placed her hand over his.

It wasn't a gesture of affection, but of humanity — an attempt to comfort him despite the weight of the moment.

Judy:

Losing control doesn't make you evil, Yousef… but it means you need help.

We have to understand what's happening to you… before you lose something you can't get back.

Yousef closed his eyes again and took a deep breath, as if her words had pierced a wall inside him that had been holding him back.

Trying to ease the tension, Noah tilted his head slightly and asked with a faint smile:

Noah:

Does the bullet hurt? Or your heart?

Yousef let out a soft laugh — more of a sigh than true laughter.

Yousef:

Both… but the second is worse.

Outside, the wind howled through the trees, and the night crept heavily over the forest.

Inside, for the first time, Yousef felt like he wasn't completely alone…

That maybe, just maybe, someone didn't see him as a monster.